News & views from the American Coalition for Ethanol.

June 9, 2009

EPA needs to schedule some time in the Heartland

A recent Congressional hearing shed some light on the many unknowns surrounding how the Environmental Protection Agency's biofuels regulations will affect American farmers and ethanol producers.

A May 21st hearing held by the House Small Business Committee, "The Impacts of Outstanding Regulatory Policy on Small Biofuels Producers and Family Farmers," included testimony by Margo Oge, the Director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality. Ms. Oge was asked by Congressman Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) how much time during her 29-year career with EPA she'd spent on farms in the United States seeing first-hand the impact of the agency's rule-making. Her answer: "I have not spent any time on farms in the United States." View a video clip here.

Since the hearing, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has invited EPA employees including Ms. Oge to visit his family's farm in Iowa to see first-hand the impressive things farmers are doing to produce food, feed, and fuel. The American Coalition for Ethanol seconds this request and urges EPA officials to schedule a visit soon to some of America's family farmers and ethanol plants.

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A recent Congressional hearing shed some light on the many unknowns surrounding how the Environmental Protection Agency's biofuels regulations will affect American farmers and ethanol producers.

A May 21st hearing held by the House Small Business Committee, "The Impacts of Outstanding Regulatory Policy on Small Biofuels Producers and Family Farmers," included testimony by Margo Oge, the Director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality. Ms. Oge was asked by Congressman Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) how much time during her 29-year career with EPA she'd spent on farms in the United States seeing first-hand the impact of the agency's rule-making. Her answer: "I have not spent any time on farms in the United States." View a video clip here.

Since the hearing, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has invited EPA employees including Ms. Oge to visit his family's farm in Iowa to see first-hand the impressive things farmers are doing to produce food, feed, and fuel. The American Coalition for Ethanol seconds this request and urges EPA officials to schedule a visit soon to some of America's family farmers and ethanol plants.